Fire destroys chalet at Vancouver Island ski resort, as eight escape

Eight people were forced to flee a burning chalet at Mount Washington on Vancouver Island Saturday night.

The call came in around 10 p.m., as a crew that included four firefighters from Mount Washington and 15 members from the Oyster River Fire Department.

When they responded to the scene, the eight people had already managed to get outside the chalet. Photographs on social media show the structure fully engulfed by flames.

“The firefighters worked very hard to extinguish the flames and prevent them from spreading to nearby structures,” Oyster River fire chief Bruce Green said.

One challenge was presented by the fact the chalet was located in the Alpine Village, so the firefighters used the department’s utility terrain vehicle (UTV) to gain access. The firefighters had the fire under control by around 1 a.m. on Sunday but ere working to put out ‘hot spots’ until 1 p.m. Sunday.

There was speculation on social media the fire started in the fireplace of the chalet and may have spread into walls of the structure. However, the fire department has not yet identified the exact cause, adding the incident is still under investigation. It did confirm the building is a total loss.